Nygard’s late game effort earns Game 1 win

LCC's Stephen Butt swings at a pitch during the ninth inning of Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader against Patrick Henry Community College. A ninth inning rally propelled LCC to a walk-off win.

Zach Frailey / The Free Press

By Justin Hill / Correspondent

Published: Saturday, March 23, 2013 at 11:59 PM.

Lenoir Community College waited until its final opportunity but used a timely single by freshman Corey Nygard to defeat Patrick Henry Community College, 4-3, in Game 1 of Saturday’s Region X doubleheader.

The Lancers broke a 1-1 tie in the fourth inning before giving up two runs to the Patriots in the eighth. Trailing in the eighth LCC sent just three batters to the plate during the frame and looked to be destined for another three-up, three-down inning in the ninth after Tee McConnell and Tyler Tant recorded outs.

“We tried to give it away at the end of the first game,” Lancers coach Stony Wine said. “We got the bases loaded and it worked out.”

Sam Remick, batting in the eight-hole, earned a walk during his at bat — one of just three given up by starter Josh Turner — and Stephen Butt singled to place runners on the corners.

The hit for the Lancers was the team’s first since the fifth inning.

After leadoff batter Chastin Radford walked and the Patriots coaching staff elected to keep Turner in the game, Nygard came to the plate.

Lenoir Community College waited until its final opportunity but used a timely single by freshman Corey Nygard to defeat Patrick Henry Community College, 4-3, in Game 1 of Saturday’s Region X doubleheader.

The Lancers broke a 1-1 tie in the fourth inning before giving up two runs to the Patriots in the eighth. Trailing in the eighth LCC sent just three batters to the plate during the frame and looked to be destined for another three-up, three-down inning in the ninth after Tee McConnell and Tyler Tant recorded outs.

“We tried to give it away at the end of the first game,” Lancers coach Stony Wine said. “We got the bases loaded and it worked out.”

Sam Remick, batting in the eight-hole, earned a walk during his at bat — one of just three given up by starter Josh Turner — and Stephen Butt singled to place runners on the corners.

The hit for the Lancers was the team’s first since the fifth inning.

After leadoff batter Chastin Radford walked and the Patriots coaching staff elected to keep Turner in the game, Nygard came to the plate.

The third baseman fouled off three pitches and faced a 1-2 count before turning on Turner’s pitch and pulled it down the third base line.

Remick scored easily and the relay wasn’t in time as Butt crossed the plate for the win.

Nygard (3-5) was the only Lancers player with multiple hits during Game 1, including a triple. He also had two RBIs.

Kyle Smith, who started the game at shortstop, relieved Lancers starter Troy Jones in the eighth inning to earn the win. Jones struck out seven batters during his 7 1/3 innings of work.

Game 2: Patrick Henry C.C. 15, Lenoir C.C. 2, 5 inn.

While things fell the Lancers way during Game 1, PHCC left no doubt who the winner of the day’s second game would be. The Patriots scored three runs during the first two innings before piling on eight more in the third to defeat the Lancers 15-2 in a shortened, five-inning game.

Trailing 3-0 in the first, the Lancers first two batters, Radford and Nygard, looked at a combined eight straight balls to earn walks. Designated hitter Ryan Blake knocked two runs in on a triple and LCC looked poised for a high scoring affair.

However, Corey Haynes quickly found his groove on the mound and the Patriots ended the inning with Blake still on third.

Haynes gave up just two more hits on his way to the victory — both during the second inning. With two outs and the bases loaded in the second Haynes fanned Robbie Hiser to end the threat.

The Patriots capitalized on the Lancers pitching mistakes in the third inning, picking up four walks and a hit by pitch to help increase the lead. Along with the Lancer pitching miscues PHCC had three double and three triples to stretch the lead.

“We are struggling to develop a consistent, strong mentality, with this team it seems like we can be good for five minutes and not the next,” Wine said. “The good thing about baseball is that you can be bad one day and good the next.”

Zane Pitzer — a home run away from the cycle — led the Patriots at the plate, going 3-for-4. He also had four RBIs.

Ryan Kopenski picked up the loss for the Lancers, who used six pitchers to make it through the five-inning game.